Popular entertainer Oga Obinna has officially broken his silence following a wave of criticism on social media. The row began after he announced plans to host a boxing event at the State House.
Despite the online storm, Obinna remains firm. He insists the event will proceed on 4 July in the presence of President William Ruto.
A Divided Digital Front
The announcement did not sit well with many Kenyans on X (formerly Twitter). Critics quickly voiced their concerns, with some accusing the content creator of being out of touch.
One user, @Jason, claimed that the trust Obinna once held with Gen Z has vanished. “You have sold yourself, and you sound so desperate, out of touch with reality,” he wrote.
Others questioned the choice of venue. Rosemary Boru asked why the State House is being turned into a “games arena” when billions of tax shillings were spent building stadiums.
The sentiment that Obinna was stepping into dangerous political territory was a common theme among his detractors.
“Obinna is doing himself injustice by getting involved into politics. He better stay away.” — Geofrey Ouma Adongo.
The “Sportswashing” Allegations
Some reactions were even more pointed. Users labeled the move as “sportswashing” and suggested that entertainers are being used as “stage performers” for the government.
One critic, Steve Ogg, went as far as calling Obinna a “government mole” who has lost public trust.
Obinna’s Defiant Response
Obinna did not take the criticism quietly. Breaking his silence on Instagram, he attributed the backlash to “wivu” (envy). He argued that many of those “yapping” have never actually changed a life in Kenya.
He defended the initiative by highlighting the poor conditions many local boxers face. According to Obinna, these athletes have often been paid as little as 1,000 to 10,000 Shillings for their efforts.
“Jealousy will prevent those boxers you’ve been paying 1k – 10k from getting any real help because some of you think everything is political,” Obinna hit back.
He compared the situation to footballers, noting that when they received government support, the public reaction was much calmer.
“Footballers vile walipewa pesa it was fine, wengine ni wivu coz we did what they couldn’t in a million years. Most people yapping have never changed a single human being’s life in Kenya… grow up,” he added.
The entertainer seems unfazed by the threat of a boycott or the loss of followers. He maintains that the critics are upset because he achieved something they could not.
His State House boxing idea comes just days after a highly successful Vurugu boxing match that was held at the Kasarani Arena on 4th April.
